Centre Approves IAS Officer Sujata R Karthikeyan’s Request for Voluntary Retirement

New Delhi: The Central government has approved the voluntary retirement request of Odisha cadre IAS officer Sujata R Karthikeyan, known for her policy influence in education and sports under the previous BJD government.

Karthikeyan, a 2000-batch IAS officer, is married to VK Pandian, a close associate of former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. A Political Science graduate from Lady Shri Ram College and a Delhi University topper, she also holds a Master’s in International Politics from JNU and was a gold medallist at the IAS Academy.

During her tenure as Sundargarh Collector, she initiated the “Mobility is Empowerment” cycle scheme, improving girls’ school enrolment, and introduced eggs in the midday meal scheme, both later expanded statewide. She also leveraged sports to counter Maoist influence, setting up hostels for aspiring hockey and football players.

As Director of Social Welfare, she played a pivotal role in Mission Shakti, linking 70 lakh women to self-help groups (SHGs) and fostering women’s entrepreneurship. This initiative gained global recognition, with even Microsoft’s Bill Gates praising the marketing of SHG agricultural products.

Her brief stint as Culture Secretary saw the successful hosting of the first World Odia Language Conference. However, ahead of the last state elections, she was transferred following a BJP complaint alleging her alignment with the BJD. After the BJP’s victory, she was moved to a less influential role before resigning from service while serving as Special Secretary in the Finance Department.